The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, or AFSCME Local 3299, and the University Professional Technical Employees (UPTE)-CWA Local 9119, or UPTE, also went on strike in November alleging unfair bargaining tactics, which the university system denied.
“Instead of addressing the decline in real wages that has fueled the staff exodus at UC Medical Centers and Campuses at the bargaining table, UC has chosen to illegally implement arbitrary rules aimed at silencing workers who are raising concerns while limiting their access to union representatives,” said AFSCME Local 3299 President Michael Avant.
Tens of thousands of University of California physician assistants, optometrists, and other health care and custodial workers went on strike Wednesday over alleged unfair labor practices and staffing shortages.
The university denied the allegations and said it fully supports the unions’ right to engage in legal strike activity and picketing “as evidenced by AFSCME and UPTE’s two-day strike last November.”.
The strikes by two unions representing nearly 60,000 health care and service workers are separate and come after the unions and 10-campus university system failed to reach a new contract.
